Trade : From bicycle to snowball approach to policy (PRIV)
(Chakravarthi Raghavan, Geneva)
This year "Davos doesn't deliver", declared a headline over an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal Monday authored by the Journal's money and investment editor.

Haiti : Rights groups denounce Duvalier ruling, US urges appeal (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
International and local human rights groups Tuesday strongly denounced the ruling by an investigating judge in Haiti that former dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier should not face charges for massive human rights abuses committed during his 15-year reign, from 1971 to 1986.

India : Retailers on edge as 800-pound gorillas come knocking (PRIV)
(IPS, Washington)
Home to over 44 million small retailers, many of them family-owned, neighbourhood stores no bigger than 200 square feet, India is a land renowned for its various "wallas" - small traders who produce, hawk, repair or deliver just about anything you could want at any hour of the day or night.

United States : Building communities around sustainable food (PRIV)
(IPS, Atlanta)
With more and more communities in the US South turning to cooperatives as a way to produce and consume food in a sustainable manner, several cooperatives are hoping to expand on what they view as more than just a "shopping experience" but a way of life.

Chile : Disillusioned with Pinochet-era political system (PRIV)
(IPS, Santiago)
Chile's political system is "exhausted" and urgently needs reform to truly represent its citizens, consolidate democracy and ensure governability, say experts consulted by IPS.